Accrington Observer

Whoops – gambling addict stole from store

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JON MACPHERSON

AGAMBLING addict stole thousands of pounds worth of goods from Asda by conning self-service checkouts with discount ‘59p pie’ stickers, a court heard.

Daniel Thackray took electrical items, motor oil and drills through the selfservic­e tills but covered the barcodes with ‘whoops!’ reduced stickers from food that was about to go out of date.

The 25-year-old targeted the Asda store on Hyndburn Road in Accrington on November 11 last year before being eventually caught by security staff at the Rawtenstal­l Asda store later the same day.

Thackray pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud by false representa­tion and has been bailed to appear at Burnley Crown Court for sentence on May 25.

He has also been banned from entering every Asda store in the UK.

Stephen Parker, prosecutin­g, told the court how Thackray targeted Asda stores across the North of England including others in Sunderland, Boldon and Harrogate.

The court heard how Thackray placed ‘whoops!’ stickers from reduced 59p pies on the goods and scanned them through the till instead of the real products.

He also used a £14,750 Audi TTs, which he bought in May 2016 from gambling winnings, to transport him to the various stores, the court heard.

Mr Parker said: “There are pictures taken of the defendant’s property. It looks more like a shop than a house to the extent there are rows and rows of electrical items and motor oil.

“There’s evidence from the sat nav with names of stores throughout the north of England.

“The Crown’s case is this is not someone who has gone out on a jolly on a few occasions. This is someone going out and about on a daily basis.”

Stuart Kaufman, defending, said it was ‘not criminally sophistica­ted’.

He said: “He got himself into a lot of debt as a result of him having a gambling habit.

“He started gambling at the age of 24 and it got worse and worse but he was successful on some occasions.

“He didn’t really dispose of any of the stuff he had taken in his way. He had most of it stashed in his bedroom.”

Judge Ian Lemming QC warned Thackray, of Tennyson Avenue, Harrogate, that he could face jail.

He said: “The court is keeping all its sentencing options open including immediate custody.”

 ??  ?? The thefts took place from the Asda supermarke­t in Accrington
The thefts took place from the Asda supermarke­t in Accrington

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